10 Most Committed Crimes in South Africa

It is common knowledge that South Africa has one of the highest crime rated in the world. The daily news never end without a crime related story. Another fact to consider is that not all crimes are committed equally other crimes are more prevalent than others. The list below gives us the most committed crimes in South Africa by ranking to the most to the least.

1. Burglary at residential premises – 259 424 cases reported

Housebreaking (residential premises) is committed by a person who unlawfully and intentionally breaks into a building with inhabitants, and enters or penetrates it with part of his or her body or with an instrument with which he or she intends to control something on the premises with the intention to commit a crime on the premises. According to the analysis of the SAPS 75% of home robberies occur at night, times being in the late evening between 21:00 and 23:59 and very early morning between 00:00 and 02:59 because people’s guards are down when they are asleep.

2. Drug-related crime – 258 472 cases reported

Drug-related crime refer to a crime to possess, manufacture, or distribute drugs classified as having potential for abuse (such as cocaine, heroin, morphine and amphetamines). Drugs are also related to crime as drug trafficking and drug production are often controlled by drug cartels, organized crime and gangs. Factors which make South Africa a fertile ground for drug trafficking included its well-developed infrastructure, modern international telecommunications and banking system, and the corruption which has contaminated the criminal justice system. Sixty percent of the people we have arrested in the past admitted to have taken some form of drug before committing a crime. Whoonga and nyaope were top among the drugs stimulating crime, and Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan were the leading producers of these drugs in the world.

3. Common assault – 165 990 cases reported

Common Assault refers to the unlawful and intentional direct and indirect application of force to the body of another person. Or, the threat of application of immediate personal violence to another, in circumstances in which the threatened person is prevailed upon to believe that the person who is threatening him has the intention and power to carry out his threat.

4. Theft out of or from motor vehicle – 143 305 cases reported

Theft out of or from motor vehicle refers to the unlawful and intentional removal of parts, accessories or equipment, that form part of a motor vehicle. This is done with the intention of permanently depriving the owner thereof control of.

5. Malicious injury to property – 118 904 cases reported

Malicious damage to property consists in the unlawful and intentional damaging of property belonging to another.

6. Robbery with aggravating circumstances – 118 327 reported

Aggravated robbery is a specific type of crime within the larger category of theft. This kind of crime appears in the codes of various legal systems around the world. Each country has its own ways of dealing with different kinds of theft, and its own definitions for types of theft. In most uses of the term aggravated robbery, specific requirements apply to labelling a crime as this type of theft by force.

7. Commercial crime – 79 009 cases reported

Commercial crime covers crime such as fraud which is deceiving a person or company to get goods and money through forgery. It is caused by greed, common criminality and uncertainty about employment. It can also be referred to or linked with white collar crime which is referred to as crimes involving commercial fraud, cheating consumers, swindles, insider trading on the stock market, embezzlement and other forms of dishonest business schemes.

8. Shoplifting – 70 136 cases reported

Shoplifting refers to stealing from a shop, during the shopping hours of that shop, an article, which is offered for sale by that shop. Most shoplifters are amateurs; however, there are people and groups who make their living from shoplifting, who tend to be more skilled. Generally, criminal theft involves taking possession of property illegally. Researchers divide shoplifters into two categories: “boosters,” – professionals who resell what they steal, and “snitches,” – amateurs who steal for their personal use.

9. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – 69 490 cases reported

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, commonly called “drunk driving,” it refers to operating a motor vehicle while one’s blood alcohol content is above the legal limit set by statute, which supposedly is the level at which a person cannot drive safely. In most countries, anyone who is convicted of injuring or killing someone while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs can be heavily fined in addition to being given a lengthy prison sentence.

10. Total Sexual Crimes – 62 267 cases reported

Sex crimes are forms of human sexual behaviour that are crimes. Someone who commits one is said to be a sex offender. Some sex crimes are crimes of violence that involve sex. Others are violations of social taboos, such as incest, sodomy, indecent exposure or exhibitionism.